Mental Health Services on the NHS
There has been a massive increase in people seeking help for mental health issues and the NHS has responded by providing services. This includes:
The Long Term Plan reaffirmed its commitment to boost investment in mental health services faster than overall NHS budget. This includes special suicide prevention services.
Helping yourself
One out of four of us will have mental health issues at some point in our lives. The good news is that there are plenty of different ways to get help and most of us recover after a while. It is important to know the types of help available and who can offer it.
You can seek assistance from a variety of sources such as your doctor (primary medical doctor who treats patients) as well as your local health center or a community mental health team. These teams consist of nurses, occupational and psychotherapists and speech therapists. They collaborate with patients who require their services. You can receive individual or group therapy, based on the type of assistance you need.
Your GP will typically ask you to fill in a form to make a referral to a community mental health team. They will also talk with you about the kind of help you require. You will be assessed by an individual from the mental team which includes psychiatrist, psychologist or social worker. In certain instances the clinical nurse specialist will carry out your assessment and treatment. If you're experiencing a crisis, you can contact the NHS 111 helpline for immediate support. If you are already receiving mental health support It is recommended to contact your regular team first, unless out of office hours, on a weekend or bank holiday.
The Five Year Forward View for Mental Health outlined plans to create more multidisciplinary, community-based, place-based mental health teams with links to primary care networks. These plans will aid in improving the quality of care given to those experiencing a mental health crisis and offer support in their homes and communities rather than in hospitals.
The plan also aimed to help make crisis services more accessible by reducing wait times and allowing more beds. It also proposes the mental transport vehicle and ensure that all ambulances are equipped with a mental liaison nurse within the control room to make sure that patients who are suffering from mental illness are helped in times of crisis.
Treatment options
The NHS provides a wide range of treatment options for people suffering from mental health problems. The less severe disorders are typically treated by GPs however more severe conditions require an expert team. These teams work in primary and community mental healthcare services and psychiatric hospitals. There are also safe places where you can get help for those who are in a state of crisis.
Talking treatments for anxiety and depression are one of the main kinds of treatment. Formerly known as IAPT, these programs have seen referrals increase each year since their launch in 2008. The NHS Long Term Plan commits to expanding these programs to ensure that 1.9 million people will be able to use them by 2023/2024.
Psychiatric medications are another crucial part of treatment. They can improve symptoms by altering the way chemicals in your brain work. They can be used to lessen the negative effects of other treatments. Your doctor will recommend the best medication for you.
There are many different types of talk therapies, such as individual therapy and group therapy. Some of these treatments are offered in person, while other are available online. Some patients prefer treatment in person, but this is a personal decision. Mind is one of the charities that provide support groups and classes. Their website contains a wealth of information that is reliable, however you must be aware that there is lots of misleading or false information on the internet about mental health issues.
While the NHS is improving its mental health care but it's still struggling to cope with demand. In the UK there are 54 mental trusts. The majority of them receive funding from the clinical commissioning groups. They typically are located in a particular region however they can also be contracted to provide national services.
The lack of resources is a major problem. There are also concerns about the quality of care and the shortage of psychiatrists and nurses. The NHS is striving to improve its services by introducing new methods of work and delivering more training. It is also introducing more secure and efficient methods to help people in crisis like mobile crisis teams and secure places.
Helping you
Since the NHS was established 70 years ago, there have been many positive developments for people suffering from mental health issues. Treatment options have gotten more diverse and social barriers are being broken down. But there is still more to be done.
People who are experiencing mental health issues should get the help they need quickly and easily. This is why the NHS is striving to improve the services available to those who need them. In 2020/21, we will ensure that all acute hospitals offer a mental health liaison service, both in A&E and on inpatient wards and that 70% of these will meet the core 24 standard by 2023/24. Then we will work towards 100 percent coverage.
We will also enhance community services, including talking therapy, to provide support for hundreds of thousands of people suffering from mental health conditions regardless of whether they are serious or common. We will continue to develop the national Improving Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT) program to ensure that more people are visited by therapists who are qualified, quicker.
The NHS offers free, confidential helplines for anyone who is struggling with mental health issues. Samaritans Mind and Rethink are some of the helplines available. These helplines are run by volunteers who offer a safe place to talk or provide advice and information about how to handle your mental health concerns.
There are a variety of local organizations that provide assistance and support to those suffering from mental health issues. Self-help guides, coping strategies and activities can be included. Many of these organisations also offer face-to-face support groups for those who prefer this method.
For students, there is the University's Open Door Team which offers a drop-in counselling service for those who feel depressed or stressed. Nightline is a student read more counseling service that offers private listening, support and information from knowledgeable volunteers. Charities such as Mind and Rethink are a excellent source of information. They can provide support in a variety of ways, including online and through local groups. They also offer various classes and activities, ranging from mindfulness to art classes that could be beneficial for people who suffer from mental health problems.
Making a referral
Mental health services are under strain and GPs have to make difficult choices regarding which specialist services they should refer their patients to. The doctor will take a patient's medical history into account and then refer them to a specialist they think can assist. They might send a referral to an NHS trust or an independent provider.
A mental health professional will examine the referral to determine if the referral is appropriate or not. If the specialist isn't satisfied with the referral, they'll contact the GP to discuss their decision and explain the reasons. They may also ask the GP for more details or to change the referral.
The ability to refer patients to the local Community Mental Health Team can be made using the NHS e-Referral Service. website The system lets doctors and other healthcare professionals to refer patients to either a preliminary assessment service for mental health or directly to an appointment. Not all CMHTs offer both options and the system can't be used for all kinds of mental health referrals.
A GP can also refer a patient to a mental health website specialist in the community service (CMT). These are usually operated by a large local healthcare organization or a hospital. CMTs are an excellent option for those who have to consult a psychologist or psychiatrist, but do not require inpatient treatment. They can also provide an early intervention program, where a psychiatrist works with private healthcare mental health the therapist to help a person overcome a crisis or improve their life quality.
One of the challenges faced by a CMT is to ensure that all referrals are made within the proper time frame. Many referrals are deemed urgent, even though they might not be. This can cause patients who aren't in a crisis to be rushed and suffer delays.
To address this issue, a few CMHTs have tried to establish more uniform standards for what constitutes an more info urgent referral. This was accomplished by using an established form that asks the referrer if the situation is urgent. The form has a checkbox that the referrer has to check if the request is urgent.